All students entering English 1, English 2, English 3, and English 4 must read and be ready to do a short presentation in the first week of school. 

Students entering English 2 Honors, AP English 3 and 4, and IB English 3 and 4 must also complete the additional readings listed for their respective class.

The initial presentation is designed to prepare for the upcoming year and serve as a diagnostic tool for the English Teachers, while emphasizing the importance of speaking, as well as participation, in English classes. Assignments for the readings will also serve as the sources for the initial grades entered for the new school year. Students are strongly encouraged to purchase the books; however, students may also borrow the books from any library (for IB/AP – copies may be available if procuring the books presents an economic hardship). Students are strongly encouraged to take notes and annotate each work.

Over the summer, please prepare notes (specific suggestions found at the bottom of this page) on your selected book. Further details on the presentation itself will be given to you during the school year. Ultimately, the presentation should show that you read the book.

English 1 - 

1.) SCIENCE FICTION - Student's Choice - (Find sample texts below)

No graphic novel; may be Young Adult (YA), but no children’s books

English 2 - 

1.) HISTORICAL FICTION - Student's Choice - (Find sample texts below) 

No graphic novel; may be Young Adult (YA), but no children’s books

English 2 Honors -

1.) HISTORICAL FICTION - Student's Choice - (Find sample texts below) 

No graphic novel; may be Young Adult (YA), but no children’s books

2.) A Small Place by Jamaica Kincaid

English 3 -

1.) NONFICTION (American author and American social/historical issue) - Student's choice  - (Find sample texts below) 

no graphic novel; no YA or children’s books

English 3 Honors - 

1.) NONFICTION (American author and American social/historical issue) - Student's choice  - (Find sample texts below) 

no graphic novel; no YA or children’s books

(No additional reading for English 3 Honors)

AP Language and Composition -  

1.) NONFICTION (American author and American social/historical issue) - Student's choice  - (Find sample texts below) 

no graphic novel; no YA or children’s books

2.) 50 Essays by Samuel Cohen, Editor - AP Language and Composition Summer Work

3.) How to Read Nonfiction Like a Professor by Thomas Foster

IB English - 

Note: Students in IB do not have an assignment to read a nonfiction book: these books can't be used for the IB Exam.

1.) Klara and the Sun by Kazuo Ishiguro

English 4 -

1.) MEMOIR or AUTOBIOGRAPHY  - Student Choice  - (Find sample texts below) 

AP Literature and Composition -

1.) MEMOIR or AUTOBIOGRAPHY  - Student Choice  - (Find sample texts below) 

No YA or children’s books    

2.) Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka

3.) How to Read Literature Like a Professor by Thomas Foster

IB English HL - 

Note: Students in IB do not have an assignment to read a memoir/autobiography: these books can't be used for the IB Exam.

1.) Transcendent Kingdom by Yaa Gyasi

2.) Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka

If you want to look for books beyond the samples, here are some sources to look for suggestions:

https://medfordlibrary.org/teens/teen-booklists/teen-booklists-by-genre-topic/ 

https://libguides.scf.edu/c.php?g=1066806 

https://www.goodreads.com/genres 

https://www.amazon.com/gp/browse.html?node=283155&ref_=nav_em__bo_t3_0_2_16_2&ccs_id=a69cb2dd-015d-4619-bf86-124edc1887a1 

For fiction (9th and 10th)—take notes in a literary journal/or annotate your own copy: indicate settings, themes, style, plot, vocabulary, characterization, conflict, tone, mood, current societal application, and any questions you have. There is not a specific template for you to use.

For non-fiction (11th and 12th)—take notes in a literary journal/or annotate your own copy: identify the subject, style, speaker, occasion, conflict, tone, mood, societal application, and any questions you have. There is not a specific template for you to use.